Oakham In Bloom was formed in August 1997 – the committee consists entirely of volunteers and works in partnership with Oakham Town Council, Rutland County Council, schools and youth groups, voluntary organisations, residents and businesses. The committee and the gardening and fundraising volunteers strive to: make Oakham beautiful and encourage the community to plant and care for flowers, trees a
nd shrubs. We strive to integrate biodiversity gain into our scheme through providing ready sources of flowers for pollinators as well as using native plants. We are involved in many projects around the town all year round, from planting baskets, containers and beds to bigger challenges such as the bypass roundabouts. Although we work on improving public land we get no monies from either Rutland County Council or Oakham Town Council. Oakham In Bloom has taken on numerous projects, large and small, since its foundation, from the All Saints Memorial bed, Lands End bed, the roundabouts pretty rose beds on Burley Road to the Rutland County Museum garden and the Prairie Garden at the Library. As well as our own projects, we are keen to support other organisations in floral and environmental projects, such as school vegetable gardens and The Woodland Trust’s Gorse Field Wood, Harris Grove & Ball’s Meadow. We also support other local and national organisations with similar aims, such as the Rutland Beekeepers Association and The Woodland Trust. Each year we enter Oakham in the East Midlands In Bloom competition – such a fantastic way to reward the efforts of all our volunteers and supporters. Success in East Midlands In Bloom invites us to the Britain In Bloom competition for the following year. We also organise local awards each year, with residents and businesses competing for best gardens and floral displays – an awards ceremony is held every September.
